"The secretary-general deplores the rocket launch announced by
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," said a
statement issued by his spokesman.

"It is all the more regrettable because it defies the unified
and strong call from the international community," the statement
said.

"It is a clear violation of Security Council resolution 1874
(adopted in2009), in which the Council demanded that the DPRK not
conduct any launch using ballistic missile technology," it said.

The DPRK's official KCNA news agency said Wednesday that the
country had launched and orbited an earth observation satellite.

According to the KCNA, a Unha-3 rocket carrying a 2nd
generation Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite blasted off from the Sohae
Space Center in Cholsan county, North Phyongan province, at 09:49
local time (0049 GMT).

The satellite entered its preset orbit 9 minutes and 27 seconds
after lift-off, and started a polar orbit.

"The secretary-general has been urging the leadership in
Pyongyang not to carry out such a launch and instead to build
confidence with its neighbors while taking steps to improve the
lives of its people," the statement said.

"The secretary-general is concerned about the negative
consequences that this provocative act may have on peace and
stability in the region," it said.

"The secretary-general is in close touch with the governments
concerned ... He takes this opportunity to reaffirm his commitment
to working for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," it
said.

Wednesday's launch marks the DPRK's second bid this year to put
a satellite into orbit, which the United States and its key Asian
allies call a disguised ballistic missile test. South Korea has
expressed "grave concern" over the plan, and Japan pledged to
shoot down the rocket if it threatened its territory.

Pyongyang, whose previous attempt in April ended in failure,
said its "polar-orbiting earth observation satellite" is for
peaceful scientific purposes only.

South Korea, along with the United States and Japan, has called
for a meeting of the Security Council in response to the latest
launch, the Yonhap news agency reported Wednesday.

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